3 Ways to Meet Layer Chicken Nutrition Needs at Every Stage
Layer chicken nutrition changes from the starter to grower and laying periods. Learn what your hens need at each stage to stay healthy and productive.
The nutritional needs of layer chickens deserve close attention. The better the nutrition you provide, the more productive your chickens will be. Each stage of a layer's life calls for different nutrient levels, so you need to know them and meet them properly. If your chickens are slow to grow and develop, they may not be getting enough nutrition. To move successfully into the next stage, a chicken's nutritional needs in the previous stage must be fully met. Humans need adequate nutrition to grow and develop, and that nutrition matters even while they are still in the womb. The same goes for chickens: layer chicken nutrition must be well looked after from the starter period onward.
Also read Why Quality Feed Matters for Broiler Chickens
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Layer Chicken Nutrition in the Starter Period
The starter stage refers to chicks, which are still very vulnerable at this age. This period is one of the keys to success in layer farming. If you don't get through it well, many chicks will die and you will lose money. During this period, layer chicks need nutrients such as fat and energy. Every layer chick needs fat and energy for its body to grow and develop. Layer chicks that lack fat and energy cannot develop to their full potential.
Grower Period
This is the growth stage, when not only the body but also the bird's temperament develops. So it is no surprise that chickens get stressed easily at this age. If you don't look after your chickens carefully, their appetite will drop. The grower period runs from 11 to 16 weeks of age. To keep your layers' nutritional needs met, you must give them enough energy and protein.
Laying Period
This is the production period for layer chickens. The results of the nutrition you provided in the two earlier periods show up here. This is when layer farmers reap their harvest. Layer chickens given the right amount of nutrition will never disappoint you, because they will lay well. Their productivity is excellent, so they produce plenty of quality eggs. Unfortunately, if their nutritional needs were not properly met, your layers will not lay well in this period. During this period, your layers need nutrients such as energy, fat, crude protein, calcium and phosphorus. Besides boosting productivity, all of these nutrients help the chicken's metabolism work properly.
Why Meeting Layer Chicken Nutrition Needs Matters
If you want to succeed in the layer chicken business, pay close attention to your birds' nutrition. Nutrition matters because it keeps the chickens growing and developing properly. When their nutritional needs are well met, chickens stay productive. In layers, productivity shows in how many eggs a hen lays, the quality of those eggs and how long she keeps laying. Signs that a chicken is undernourished include low egg output, many defective eggs and small egg size.
Also read Why You Need to Know How to Care for Broiler Day-Old Chicks
Each type of chicken has its own care and husbandry needs, because chickens have different characteristics. Layer chickens are no exception. When you decide to raise layer chickens, you need to know how to care for them well. One way to do that is to meet their nutritional needs properly.
